A nine-year old Dalit girl from Uttarakhand’s Tehri was allegedly raped by a 28-year-old man in Nainbagh area on Thursday, 30 May. The accused, Nitin Singh Pawar, is from an upper caste community and was arrested on Friday, according to a report in The Times Of India.
According to a report in Hindustan Times, the girl’s older cousin was allegedly gang-raped and killed by upper caste men in the same village four years ago.
Investigating officer ML Jakhmola of Kempty police station told Hindustan Times, “The incident happened on Thursday morning around 10.30 am when the girl was going to fetch water. Her parents were out on work at the time of the incident.”
He further added that the accused runs a shop that was on the girl’s route. The accused allegedly gagged her and took her to an empty room adjoining his shop where he raped her.
“The girl ran home crying and narrated the ordeal to her parents. They approached the police in the evening and we registered a case immediately. She was later sent to Doon hospital for medical examination.”Uttam Singh, Narendra Nagar Circle Officer told TOI
The girl’s family had lodged a complaint on Thursday after which a case was registered under relevant sections of the India Penal Code, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Nainbagh is the same locality where a Dalit youth was allegedly beaten to death by upper caste men for dining with them at a wedding feast.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times and Times Of India)
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